People of color have dominated the hip hop and R&B scene for many decades. However, one genre where they have been largely absent is indie-rock. However, one artist is determined to change that.

Meet KennyHoopla, a young and energetic artist from Cleveland who has a fiery passion for writing pop and rock songs. The artist, whose real name is Kenneth La’ron, recalls his earliest musical memory being when he recorded a “horrible” rap freestyle track on a cassette toy he received as a present when he was 10 years old. However, listening to his current works, one may be glad that La’ron shifted musical styles and entered the indie-rock genre.

La’ron may be best known as a relatable DIY singer-songwriter whose releases resonate with Gen Z’ers. However, he began making music only in 2016. Prior to this, he had an interest in breakdancing, painting, and photography. However, he claims he had always been drawn to music, even when he was busy dabbling in other types of art.

The young artist credits acts such as Common, Funeral Suits, and Teen Suicide as some of his major musicial infliences. He describes his music as a sort of “new wave nostalgia”, although music critics have used all sorts of terms to describe his sound.

KennyHoopla’s first began releasing music on Soundcloud in 2016, with his Beneath the Willow Tree EP. This release received plenty of acclaim from users online as well as from some prominent music blogs.

His 2017 single Waves gathered a fair amount of attention online as well. He released his latest EP How Will I Rest in Peace If I’m Buried by a Highway?// in 2020. The new EP’s sound is reminiscent of indie-rock from the mid-2000s as well as more modern bedroom pop acts such as Alex G.

La’ron states he wanted to make a large impact with his EP, and that people would find it to be “all over the place”. However, he’s glad he’s finally out there and making his way in the music world.

Hoopla performed at a large live event in New York City in 2019 where he supported fellow artist Beabadoobee. Viewers were surprised to see the young artist deliver a high-energy performance despite not having a backing band.

So what’s next for this up-and-coming artist? In October 2020, he revealed that he is presently working on a debut album. Shortly after, he posted a picture of him in a studio with Blink-182’s drummer Travis Barker. He then released the track Estella with the famed drummer, along with a music video for the track.

KennyHoopla’s presence in the indie-rock scene is a welcome one. We can only hope his work inspires a new generation of artists of color that wish to break genre barriers and transcend labels.